Baggage tag with trap studs



April 21, 1959 J. H. GILBERT BAGGAGE TAG WITH TRAP STUDS Filed July 1a, 1958 INVENTORY dZzc'Z: H- GiibePZ' ATTORNEY United States Patent BAGGAGE TAG WITH TRAP STUDS Jack H. Gilbert, Washington, D.C.

Application July 18, 1958, Serial No. 749,521

1 Claim. (Cl. 40-21) This invention relates to baggage tags and, more particularly, to a means for facilitating rapid application and removal of a tag to and from baggage.

Conventional baggage tags, such as those heretofore used in and around airports, have comprised an elongate rectangular card having a reinforced eyelet at one end, and a string passing through the eyelet and tied to form a closed loop. The tag is applied to a bag handle by first passing the free end of the closed string loop beneath the bag handle, and then passing the tag through the free end of the loop. The string loop must be long enough so that, when the tag is applied, the tag can be easily passed through the free end of the loop, and when the tags are stacked together or hung on a peg, the long, knotted string loops become entangled with one another. The time for disentangling the string loops almost invariably was consumed immediately before departure of an airplane, when the airport ticket counter attendants are most rushed, the passengers are most impatient, and the value of the time lost by the airline is measured in dollars. The object of this invention is to provide a baggage tag requiring no hand labor in its manufacture, wherein comparatively short machine-formed string loops are maintained separately from the tags up to when the tags are applied to baggage, thereby avoiding entanglement, and whereby the tags can be applied by an attendant through simple and quick motions and with tell-tale re-assurance that the tag is securely attached.

A further object of the invention is concerned with the removal of a baggage tag at the completion of a journey. Heretofore, conventional tags were frequently removed by breaking the string. The string, therefore, had to be sufiiciently weak that it could be manually broken and, being comparatively long, it was prone to accidental breaking, with resultant baggage loss. Also, the passengers and baggage attendants sometimes cut their hands on the tab or on the string itself while removing the tag and, quite frequently, the tag tore loose around its reinforcing eyelet, thus leaving the unsightly string loop and tag fragment on the bag. The object now is to provide a tag which may be removed from baggage by tearing the tag.

Still another object is to provide a trap stud for engagement by a string loop, wherein the string may easily be laced into the stud by a simple unidirectional motion but, when so laced, may not be disengaged except by a motion completely different from the lacing motion or the reversal thereof. A further object is to provide a snap action occurring in the stud concurrently with the string entrapment so that the operator can tell, by feel, that the string is trapped. Finally, it is intended to provide a trap stud fulfilling the above objectives and i also having great strength, but yet capable of being manufactured and installed by machine operation economically and with great rapidity.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a baggage tag embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the tag showing the novel trap stud in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing one of the trap studs;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a trap stud bent open to show the arrangement of the prongs;

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing the trap stud from the front and rear; and,

Fig. 7 shows a closed string loop preferred for use with the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, the baggage tag 2 comprises two halves 2a and 2b, respectively, which may be separated for quick removal of the tag from a bag handle (not shown) by tearing, starting from notch 4. Afiixed on each half of tag 2, near its upper end, is a trap stud 6, only one of which studs will be detailed because they are identical.

Each of trap studs 6 is devised so that a string loop 8 may be pulled inwardly through open mouth 9, by upward pulling motion from the full-line positions in the left-hand portion of Fig. 1 to the dotted line position. However, once string loop 8 is engaged in a trap stud 6, it can be removed not by simple reversal of the engaging motion but, rather, only by an entirely different motion, as indicated in Fig. 3. One of the standing portions of string loop 8 is brought first downwardly to engage it in open mount 9 and to form a looplet 8 and thence pulled upwardly, in the direction indicated by the broken shaft arrow, to the dotted line position, wherein looplet 8' assumes the form and position indicated at 8". By continued pulling in the direction indicated by the dotted shaft arrow, looplet 8" is pulled from behind the trapping elements of stud 6.

Trap stud 6 is generally hook-shaped, and preferably stamped from a strip of sheet metal. The stem 10 of the hook lies flat against one side of tag 2, and is secured thereto by suitable conventional means, such as prongs 12 extending through tag 2, as indicated at 14, and bent backwardly as seen best in Fig. 2. The free end 16 of the hook is bent backwardly to overlap and lie spaced above a portion of stem 10, and upwardly and inwardly directed prong 18 is formed in free end 16. An upwardly and inwardly directed prong 20 is struck from stem 10 to cooperate with prong 18. Prongs 18 and 20 constitute the trapping elements so that once string loop 8 is pulled past them into the bight 22 of the trap stud, it is removable only by the procedure referred to hereinbefore. If attempt is made to pull the string loop directly outwardly, it will hang on one or the other of prongs 18 or 20.

In use, it is preferred that string loop 8 be spun or, in any event, formed in closed configuration and that it be separate from tag 2. One end, 8a, of loop 8 is pulled into and thereby engaged in one of trap studs 6 and the opposite loop end 8b is passed under and around a bag handle and then engaged in the other trap stud 6. As the string passes over prongs 18 and 20, a slight but distinct snap is felt, and the user thereby is assured that the string is engaged. Tag 2 may be removed without mutilation by disengaging the string loop from either one of the trap studs or, if it is desired that the tag be mutilated, it may be torn into two parts, Starting at notch 4, each part bearing a trap stud 6, and both the torn parts are removed by pulling one of them through beneath the bag handle.

If desired, only one of trap studs 6 may be used for each tag. In that event, one end of string loop 8 is attached by conventional means to the tag and the other end is passed beneath and around the bag handle and 3 engaged beneath the single trap stud. Alternatively, both ends of the string loop may be trapped within the same stud.

It will be understood that various improvements, such as sjflien ng ibs o r nfig rationamw b provided, a dilferent techniques of manufacture, all within the ordinary sldll of the trades, may be used, the invention being not limited to the details disclosedherein.

I cl m;

A baggage tag adapted to be attached to the handle of a suitcase orthe like baggage, comprising a tearable paper tag body having two contiguous portions defined by means between said portions for, starting a tear for severing the same from one another, anchor means on one of said portions, a closed string loop secured to said anchor means, said loop being adapted to pass beneath and over the handle and, prior to attachment, being free of the other tag portion, a trap stud .atfixed on the other port on of said tag bo y, said p stud compri ing a body having an ,open mouth and a closed inner end adapted to receive therein the free end of said string loop when the latter is passed inwardly through the open mouth, and trap means on said stud body projecting inwardly of the open mouth and towards the closed inner end of the stud body for blocking the string against retrograde movement outwardly through the open mouth, whereby, after the loop is passed beneath and over the handle and attached to said trap stud, the entire tag and loop may be removed from the handle by tearing the tag portions apart and pulling one portion beneath the handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,495,110 Roberts May 20, 1924 2,246,365 Konhle June 17, 1941 2,669,047 Rieger Feb. 16, 1954 

